Computer networks allow the connectivity of a number of nodes through a physical network layer. The physical layer is generally connected through a number of repeaters, often configured in a hub or core. A number of different physical layer speeds exist, such as 10baseT Ethernet, 100baseT Ethernet, etc. Variations of Physical Layer Devices (PHYs) may be implemented by introducing various protocol speeds. Each particular physical layer device speed variation must generally provide a separate speed indication signal (e.g, a link signal), through a separate external pin.
Referring to FIG. 1, a circuit 10 is shown implementing one conventional approach for providing a physical layer device that operates at a number of speeds. The circuit 10 generally comprises a repeater 12 and a physical layer device 14. The physical layer device 14 has an output 16 that presents a receive clock signal (i.e., RX.sub.-- CLK). The physical layer device 14 also comprises a number of outputs 18a-18n that present a number of speed indication link signals (i.e., LINK1-LINKn). The repeater 12 includes an input 20 and a number of inputs 22a-22n. The input 20 generally receives the receive clock signal RX.sub.-- CLK, while the inputs 22a-22n generally receive the link signals. For a physical layer device 14 that operates at three different speeds, four separate pins must be included at the repeater boundary, one for the receive clock signal RX.sub.-- CLK, and one for each of the link signals. Since a number of physical layer devices 14 are generally coupled to a single repeater 12, the number of pins required to connect the physical layer devices 14 to the repeater 12 may require a larger package, which is undesirable since it increases the overall production cost and size of the device. The particular link signals provide an indication that the physical layer device 14 has detected a link at a remote device at the speed specified by the particular link signal. Logic inside the repeater 12 generally connects an internal port connected to the physical layer device 14 to the particular internal segment that is running at the speed indicated by the link signal.
Since a number of physical layer devices 14a-n are generally connected to a single repeater 12, the number of external pins required increases. Referring to FIG. 2, a block diagram illustrating a number of physical layer devices 14a-n each having three link signals connected to a repeater 12 is shown. To implement four physical layer devices 14a-n each having three separate speeds, twelve separate link pins are generally required at the repeater 12. As the number of physical layer devices 14a-n increases, as well as the number of speeds increases, the overall number of pins needed at the repeater 12 becomes prohibitive.